Hunted Souths continue to win

SOUTHS are a hunted team, despite having lost only one match so far this season in Mackay's Skills Training Cup.

Brothers turned on a committed performance in the final round of the Pride of Milton Street at Shark Park on Saturday before going down 28-6, in what Souths captain Tom Ryan said was a tough and physical game.

"It's what we expect," the fullback said.

"We're under pressure each week and everyone wants to knock us off. All the teams put in a big effort against us.

"I think we're under pressure each week."

But he said the club was happy to take on the pressure, knowing that the stakes would rise come finals time.

"It gets quicker coming into the semis, so the more the better now," he said.

Ryan is in his fourth season with Souths after moving up from Newcastle, and knows all about finals pressure.

He was part of premiership teams in 2008-9 and played in last season's losing grand final against Moranbah, the only team to beat Souths so far this year, winning 26-16 at Darryl Bourke Oval in the previous round.

"Moranbah is again the team to beat this year, especially if they can keep the same team on the park each week," Ryan said.

Souths coach Scott Dunshea said Ryan was the player of the match on Saturday, with strong performances also from second-rower Brandan Treston and forward Alex Farrell off the bench.

"Tom has been an excellent team captain for us," Dunshea said.

"He does a lot of the clean-up work for us and he's been doing it exceptionally well. Over the last few weeks he's made a number of one-on-one tackles that have saved tries."

Brothers halfback Nathan Pill was one of the standouts for his team, assistant coach Steve Sammut said.

"Nathan played in the lower grades at Penrith," he said.

"He's giving us a new direction in the ruck."

Souths scored in the last 30 seconds before half-time to take a 12-6 lead into the break, after a tight battle between the forwards.

The try proved to be decisive, as Souths went on with it to score three more tries in the second half.